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Ottoman Empire

Definition

The Ottoman Empire was a state that controlled much of Southeast Europe, Western Asia and North Africa between the 14th and early 20th centuries. It was founded at the end of the 13th century in northwestern Anatolia by Osman I.

Analogy

Consider the Ottoman Empire as a large shopping mall that has different sections (regions) selling various items (cultures). Over time, some shops close down (lose territories), new ones open up (gain territories), but it remains one big complex under one management (sultan).

Related terms

Suleiman the Magnificent: The tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1520 to his death in 1566. He is known for significant military conquests and cultural achievements.

Janissaries: Elite infantry units that formed part of the household troops and bodyguards to the sultan in the Ottoman Empire.

Treaty of Sèvres: A treaty signed between Allies after World War I and representatives of defeated Ottoman Empire which partitioned large parts of its territory among Allied powers.